West Virginia is full of rolling mountains ranges with valleys tucked in between the stretches of mountains. The valleys are beautiful and full life, a stark difference to the tall cold mountains that surround them. These valleys are an evident outlier in the environment around them. Katherine Johnson is another prime example of an outlier from West Virginia. Her endless intelligence and affinity for numbers made her stand out among her peers as future mathematician. This affinity for numbers and math led Johnson to NASA, where her future career as a human computer waited for her.
Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia in 1918. Since Johnson was young she had a love for numbers. She would count all of the dishes she washed, the numbers of steps to the road, and more. Her outstanding intelligence caused her to skip grades in elementary school. Johnson had skipped so many grades that she entered high school at 10 years old. This was unusual during Johnson’s time, for most African-Americans’ education stopped after the eighth grade.Katherine Johnson graduated high school at fourteen and proceeded …show more content…
During her 33 years with NASA she had attributed much to the space agency. She had created key math calculations for orbital flight and spaceflight. (Smith, Yvette) Even when electronic computers were introduced she still worked on calculations, using her skills and the computers to make sure every calculation was exact and there were no flaws. Her mathematical skills were trusted to the extent that some astronauts, such as John Glenn, wanted her to personally check all of the calculations to do with their missions before they would agree to do it. She had made breakthroughs in her career, she had become the first women in the Flight Research Division to be given credit as an author of a research report. She had authored and coauthored over 26 reports during her
Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia in 1918. Since Johnson was young she had a love for numbers. She would count all of the dishes she washed, the numbers of steps to the road, and more. Her outstanding intelligence caused her to skip grades in elementary school. Johnson had skipped so many grades that she entered high school at 10 years old. This was unusual during Johnson’s time, for most African-Americans’ education stopped after the eighth grade.Katherine Johnson graduated high school at fourteen and proceeded …show more content…
During her 33 years with NASA she had attributed much to the space agency. She had created key math calculations for orbital flight and spaceflight. (Smith, Yvette) Even when electronic computers were introduced she still worked on calculations, using her skills and the computers to make sure every calculation was exact and there were no flaws. Her mathematical skills were trusted to the extent that some astronauts, such as John Glenn, wanted her to personally check all of the calculations to do with their missions before they would agree to do it. She had made breakthroughs in her career, she had become the first women in the Flight Research Division to be given credit as an author of a research report. She had authored and coauthored over 26 reports during her